Construction spending rises and falls throughout the country, helping and hindering markets struggling to refill dwindling inventories.

Construction spending was up this past October, according to recently released figures from the U.S. Census Bureau. The increases, which amount to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $971 billion (just above a 1 perce

In the bayou city, developers felt the sting of decreased construction spending, with residential figures falling 6 percent from September to October. However, compared to the same time last year, spending is actually up 12 percent to $8.2 billion, which is a better indicator of the sector’s long-term trajectory. While Houston represents one of the nation’s strongest real estate markets, the city continues to struggle with consistently low inventory levels.

To see how our city stacks up, check out our graph below: